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41st Tirreno-Adriatico - ProT

Italy, March 8-14, 2006

Stage 7 - March 14: Campli - S.Benedetto Del Tronto, 166 km

All systems go at Milram

Petacchi wins last stage; Dekker the younger takes overall

Team Milram has passed its final test before the Classicissima Milano-Sanremo
in fours days' time: Alessandro Petacchi has won the last stage of Tirreno Adriatico
in and around San Benedetto del Tronto, lead out by his teammate Erik Zabel.
The two sprinters were very happy about their common achievement, with the German
throwing his arms into the air even before his Italian teammate. Robbie McEwen
(Davitamon-Lotto) and Paride Grillo (Ceramica Panaria-Navigare) got second and
third on the line.

"A perfect sprint," said Petacchi after the race. "My teammates worked perfectly
and I started my sprint at 180 meters from the finish. I thank my teammates:
Knees and Poitscke lead the bunch in the circuit. Cortinovis accelerated. Sacchi,
Velo and Zabel got me to the last 180 metres. We decided to do a short sprint
because the road was in a low descent and there was a head wind."

Petacchi and his Team Milram now seem to be ready for the next, bigger target,
Milano-Sanremo. "I hope we will have the same finish as last year," said Petacchi,
who will try to defend his 2005 title. "I hope I can counter the attacks on
Cipressa and Poggio but I have a very strong team which has other alternatives
to win."

The ultimate stage of the 'race between the two seas' did not threaten the
overall lead of Rabobank's Thomas Dekker an any point in the race. Dekker achieved
the most prestigious victory in his yet young career, with Liberty Seguros'
J÷rg Jaksche missing out by only 14 seconds.

How it unfolded

The only rider to make an appearance in front of the race today was Joseba
Albizu of Euskaltel-Euskadi, who broke away from the strolling bunch after 43
kilometres raced at 30 km/h. The peloton did not react, continuing its leisurely
ride, and Albizu increased his lead to a maximum of 6.18 after the first half
of the race.

Slowly but steadily the bunch led by Team Milram and CrÚdit Agricole launched
the pursuit of the lone rider, and picked up some speed: 41 km/h during the
first laps of the 8.2 km-long circuit in San Benedetto, of which seven were
to be completed before the final sprint. In lap four, overlal leader Dekker
punctured but rejoined the bunch very quickly, which was in turn capturing escape
artist Albizu - so about 20 kilometres before the finish, the pack was all together.

Finally, in the last lap, the race was on and it was Team Milram which did
the best job in bringing Alessandro Petacchi to the line, especially Erik Zabel
who finally crossed the line for fifth, but jubilated as if he had won.